Opening the Closed
Mind
What can
you say when Jehovah's Witnesses come to your door?
How do you avoid arguments over the Bible?
How do you help your relatives and friends?
How to get to the heart of the issue
by Randall Watters
rev. 1996
Understanding the
Problem
It is rare to find a Witness
who has not seen or heard information exposing the dishonesty of the Watchtower.
Why, then, do they not see a problem? Evidently, something else has prevented
them from objectively analyzing factual information. Their minds are trained to
stop short of doubting the organization - a wall has been erected which
says, in effect, "This far you may go, and no further."
What kind of powerful motivation
prevents the Witness from entering the "dangerous" waters of critical
investigation? The motivation is fear; the underlying problem is misplaced
securities. The Christian concept of trusting a supernatural God is replaced
with a more visible and concrete symbol, namely, the organization; God's
organization. The Witness learns that serving the organization is the same as
serving God. The organization is the mother, God is the father, and the Witness
is to obey his "parents." Since the Witness cannot see nor experience
real interaction with God, his only tie with God is through the visible organization.
It is, in effect, "God" to him (though he would not admit to or recognize
it).
Convincing the Witness
that the organization is deceptive is like trying to convince a 5-year-old child
who loves his parents that his father is in jail for armed robbery - he simply
doesn't believe his father is dishonest. In fact, he can't tolerate the
thought, since he has placed all of his security and trust in his father and mother.
The truth is too fearful and devastating to consider. Therefore, to protect
his source of security, he rejects the factual information as being a lie.
The same is true of the
Witness. He knows that if the organization is not really directed by God,
he has no other tangible security to go to. He says, "Where else can I go?"
So he remains within the system as years go by, continuing to ignore the barrage
of factual information undermining the entire Watchtower structure. The more and
more he ignores the facts, the more narrow-minded and adamant he becomes that
he will never change, and he is more convinced than ever that he has the
truth. He digs himself into a trench, erecting all sorts of mental barricades
against his real enemy, which is doubt. While this seems incredible to
the person trying to reach the Witness with the facts, it is just a simple protective
mechanism, keeping the Witness from the trauma of losing his sense of security.
In order to rationalize away the false prophecies and inconsistencies of the organization,
the Witness must, in effect, deceive himself into thinking there is really no
discrepancy in the organization. 1
While Christians have their
security in a spiritual relationship with the person of Christ, Witnesses are
taught to put faith in an organization. If they have faith in the organization,
they have faith in God. The two are inseparable; so much so, that to lose faith
in the organization means a corresponding loss of faith in God. This is precisely
why the Witness must protect himself through the process of self-deception. He
cannot bear the pain of losing his faith.
Getting Them to
Think
Before photocopies of old
WT literature are brought out, or before Scriptures are quoted, it is good to
establish certain things in the Witness' mind; things that they officially believe,
but the individual Witness may not be in full agreement with. The very act of
admitting these beliefs should not only prove embarrassing to the Witness,
but will make him conscious of the narrow, cult-like mentality encouraged by the
WT. To avoid being embarrassed and to save face, Witnesses will sometimes lie
about what they believe or try and change the subject without answering, but you
must make note of what they deny, so that you can prove that they do teach
it, using their own literature. You thereby force the Witness to see the wall
he has established in his mind (which says, "you may go no further"),
and he thereby must make a decision to be honest with himself (and risk shifting
his securities), or run in fear from such a confrontation. How, then, do we proceed?
Below are several preliminary
questions to ask the Witness. These questions do not involve interpreting passages
of the Bible (that comes later), but relate to their view of how to
interpret the Bible, as well as God's way of relating to man. You will find
these questions very effective with all but the most hardened of Witnesses.
Common Sense Questions
These first three questions
establish a foundation of common sense perceptions about the Bible and Christianity,
which are generally denied by cults. This is especially true with Jehovah's Witnesses.
Often they will answer yes to these questions anyway, to save face or avoid
embarrassment. If so, you will need to direct their attention back to their answers
when they "deny" them later. GB references are to our book, Thus
Saith the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1996 edition (see address
on back to request a catalog).
Do you believe that
the Bible was written to all people?
(Acts 17:30; 1 Cor. 1:2)
Do you believe that
true Christians have always existed somewhere in the last 2000 years?
(Matt. 28:19,20 The Watchtower
teaches this, but cannot actually point to a single group or person as evidence
of this, since no one in history believed as they do.)
Do you believe that
anyone, anywhere, who just had a Bible, and no other literature, could understand
it and be saved?
("No" answer
reveals that they believe the Bible is not enough, but a leader or organization
is needed; "Yes" answer is contradictory to Watchtower teaching. GB
36,37,147,148)
Next, a statement about
the dangers of various religious organizations should be made, such as, "Today
more than ever before there are many religious groups which lead people astray
from true Christianity. Let's see if we can agree on certain identifying marks
of such groups." Then proceed with the following objective questions. It
is better to leave the questions "third person" (or hypothetically apply
them to yourself) rather than applying them directly to the person you are speaking
with, or his organization. Instead of saying, "Does your organization...?"
you might say, "What if an organization...?" or "What if I...?"
That way you avoid getting their defenses up. They will have to apply it to themselves
soon enough in the conversation, or you can draw the connection later yourself.
Get them to see the point before it hurts! (2 Sam. 12:114)
Do you think a person
should examine not only the teachings, but also the history of any religious organization
before deciding it is the truth?
(A history of deception
and unfulfilled prophecies is most incriminating!)
What if I joined one
of these groups and later discovered fraud at the top of the organization, or
that they have altered their teachings or prophecies? Should I stay in it?
(Most cults have had serious
scandals and shakeups involving fraud and politics at top levels. Since they claim
to be God's only true people, their claim would be highly suspect.)
Both Deuteronomy 18:2022
and Matt. 24:11,2327 warn us of false prophets. How would one identify a false
prophet using these verses?
(They speak in the name
of God and it doesn't come true!)
What would you think
if members of a certain religion were not allowed to read other religious literature?
(Shows authoritarian rule
and fear of the facts, as well as an inability to use discernment. Witnesses are
not allowed to read other religious literature.)
The Mormons claim that
one must study their books to attain to an accurate knowledge of the Scriptures,
even though they also use the Bible. What do you think of that? (All cults
believe this, as their leader is the sole interpreter of Scripture same is true
with Witnesses.)
If I were examining
the Mormons, etc., do you think it would be a good idea to read books by ex-members?
(A difficult question for
the cult member to answer, as it is self -incriminating if they say yes or no.
If they say, "no," show how easy it would be to get sucked into a cult
that you haven't fully examined. If they say, "Yes," then ask them why
they haven't read books by ex-members of their group.)
What if all dissent
from a religion is seen as evidence of pride or sin?
(Cults are authoritarian
by nature and will excommunicate members for any breach of policy or disobedience
to the organization. GB 159)
What if this religion
is not open to public criticism? What if they do not allow for public debate?
(Reveals just how scholarly
their doctrinal foundation is, as well as their appeal to reason.)
Questions to Provoke
Thought
These are questions that
cause the cultist to see the inconsistency of their position on certain issues.
What you are doing is making them commit to a Biblical or scholastic precedent,
then allowing them to see that the Watchtower actually denies that precedent.
They will either struggle with the contradiction (though not displaying the struggle
visibly) or they will shut their minds off to further discussion on the issue
by either trying to change the subject or running away. Rather than being third
person objective questions, or applying them generally or hypothetically, you
are now applying it to the Watchtower specifically. Since the organization is
the real culprit rather than the individual Witness, apply the questions to the
organization, not "Jehovah's Witnesses." This will help avoid the feeling
that they are being personally attacked.
Can the Bible be interpreted
correctly only by the Watchtower?
(Acts 17:11; 1 John 2:26,27
"Yes" answer contradicts Scripture, "No" answer contradicts
Watchtower GB 150,151,155)
What method does the
Watchtower use to interpret Scripture?
They say that they just
accept it literally, and interpret symbolic passages by other passages that bear
on the discussion; Reasoning, p. 204,205. Yet they break this rule continually,
often opting for a "symbolic" understanding of something that they cannot
accept literally due to their preconceived theology. Example: John 3:3,5,7; Matt.
24:26-30; John 1:1; Rev. 1:7.
Scholars talk about
the historical, grammatical, interpretive method of understanding what the Bible
says. (Explain.) Do you think this is a good method?
(Defined as taking into
account the historical and cultural meaning of a saying or word and its linguistic
significance in order to interpret it correctly. The Watchtower ignores the historical
significance of countless passages and interpret the Bible arbitrarily. Example:
Luke 16:16-31 and John 10:16.)
Do prominent scholars,
either secular or religious, support the Watchtower interpretations of Scripture?
(The scholarly community
as a whole is against Watchtower interpretation, both from the Christian and agnostic
sectors, due to their dishonest methods and theological bias. While the Watchtower
loves to quote scholars on certain points, it is almost always a halftruth or
is taken out of context to support their position. At times they will quote from
obscure sources which they present as being noteworthy sources, yet are not even
recognized in their field as authorities. GB 117-129)
Does the Watchtower
believe all other "Christian" groups are false?
(Yes, they do. GB 147,149,154;
Matt. 7:3; 25:31-46)
Does a person have to
be part of the Watchtower organization to be saved?
("Yes" answer
cannot be supported by Scripture (Mark 9:37-41). "No" answer contradicts
the Watchtower. GB 36,37,147,148)
What does the Watchtower
consider as proof that they are the real Christians? Are these marks exclusive
to the Watchtower, or are they shared by other religions? (examine each one
individually)
(They will give certain
standards based on outward appearance rather than heart factors; their "love"
is not unconditional love (Matt. 5:43-48), but is dependent upon obedience to
the organization; they substitute friendship based on common doctrinal positions
for friendship based on the love of Christ. Challenge the "exclusiveness"
of each mark by comparing with other cults.)
Review and apply questions
from the first section (Common Sense Questions) to the Watchtower now.
You are causing them to think about how the WT denies these basic truths.
Force Them to Face
the Facts
If you make it this far,
you have caused no little disturbance in the mind of the Witness, though he/she
may not show it visibly. It is important to be calm and kind above all. You are
forcing them to break down the wall they have erected in their mind that protects
them from questioning the authority and security of their "mother."
The following questions are designed to force them to face the fact that the organization
has claimed to be a prophet "like Ezekiel and Jeremiah"; that they have
made false prophecies in the name of Jehovah over and over; that they are a relatively
new religion that supports itself primarily through distribution of literature;
and that they claim to be the only channel or mediator to God. If they deny the
truthfulness of any of this, challenge them to investigate the Watchtower material
along with you, so that you can see the light as well. If they defend the Watchtower
position, review the former questions once more, so that they will at least see
that they are no different than any other cult.
Does the organization
or leadership claim to be a prophet of God?
(They have plainly said
they are a prophet of God just like Ezekiel and Jeremiah. Compare Deut. 18:20-22.
GB 42,43,45)
Does the leadership
claim special direction from God that others cannot receive directly from God?
(They claim the "faithful
and discreet slave" is a channel through which the truth flows from Jehovah
down to the average Witness. GB 45, Mark 9:38-42)
Can you come to Christ
as your mediator?
(Their answer is "no"
for 99.7% of the Witnesses. GB 153)
Has the organization
made prophecies that have not come true?
(Deut. 18:20-22. GB 46-66,81-90)
Have your doctrines
changed significantly in the past history of your organization?
(Reveals the uninspired
source of their doctrine, as well as their effort to harmonize inconsistencies.
GB 156)
How long has this religion
been around? Can this be demonstrated historically?
("According to the
Bible, the line of witnesses of Jehovah reaches back to faithful Abel." Reasoning,
p. 202. They thus try and make it appear as if the Jewish patriarchs and the apostles
believed the same way they did, which can be proven false historically. Furthermore,
they cannot point to any group or person in the last 2000 years that were "true"
Christians, at least until Russell came along. Typical cult reasoning. GB 32)
Does your religion sell
anything to support itself?
(2 Cor. 2:17 while the
Watchtower denies selling its literature in more affluent countries, financial
reports reveal that 67% of their income comes from the production and door-to-door
sales of literature. They are dishonest in this respect. GB 105-112)
The Witness may not even
allow you to proceed beyond a few of these questions, as the questions are quite
effective in convicting the Witness of inconsistencies and cultic attitudes. Yet,
even so, you will have planted seeds of doubt that force them to either think
more about what you have said and examine it further, or flee in fear, refusing
to allow their mind to open up again on these questions.
One who masters questions
such as these actually need not even discuss the interpretation of other passages
beyond what are included above. If the Witness admits to believing the above,
you simply have to point out that these are the marks of many religious cults.
Emphasize that true Christianity:
* Should not fear any
examination, and criticism, and need not forbid reading any other factual information.
* Should interpret the
Bible using sound, scholarly methods involving the examination of context, language
and history.
* That no other book
but the Bible should be necessary (2 Tim. 3:16), and no special man or group of
men should be needed to interpret it, as 1 John 2:27 tells us that the Holy Spirit
will teach us all things.
* Christianity has been
around for 2000 years, and we can trace all the way back to its origins.
* The church is to be
supported by collections and offerings, and ministers have the right to be paid.
(1 Tim. 5:17,18; 1 Cor. 9:14; 16:2)
* True Christianity
has Christ as its mediator, for ALL.
* Jesus warns us against
those who claim to be prophets, yet whose prophecies go unfulfilled.
* All Christians have
access to the same truths.
* Truth is not afraid
of error, nor the devil. Only the devil runs from the truth.
Finally, remember:
the closed mind of the Witness cannot be opened solely by the outsider. There
must be a willingness on their part to reason, to question, to agree on common
principles. Otherwise, you are wasting your time. An obstinate and sarcastic person
should be left alone until a more advantageous time, lest you shame yourself and
the Lord by your lack of perception (Matt. 7:6). Above all, pray for a humble
heart and the proper timing regarding what to say.
A word rightly spoken
is like apples of gold in settings of silver. As a ring of gold, and an ornament
of fine gold, so is a wise reprover on a hearing ear. Proverbs 25:11,12
Footnote:
1. To a person desperate
for alibis in order to reinforce their faith in the organization, almost any supportive
argument will be used, regardless of its validity or logic. The most effective
book of clever and not-so-clever ready-made alibis is the Watchtower publication,
Reasoning From the Scriptures. In it, the Witness can excuse away false
prophecies, change the subject, reinterpret Bible passages, and bluster their
way through almost any situation using silly and inconsistent reasoning. Yet,
it is sufficient "proof" for the Witness who is desperate for an alibi.
For example, see the Watchtower "reasoning" on why they are not false
prophets on pages 134137 of the Reasoning book. They there argue that others
in the Bible had "wrong expectations" at times, but this did not make
them false prophets. What they fail to mention, of course, is that such "wrong
expectations" were not prophecies!
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